A priest, university professor and vice-rector, sanctioned two years ago for self-plagiarism, teaches Ethics and academic integrity at a university in Târgoviște

Marian Vîlciu, university professor at “Valahia” University in Târgoviște, was sanctioned in November 2023 with a written warning for self-plagiarism by the plenary session of the National Ethics Council for Scientific Research, Technological Development and Innovation (CNECSDTI), writes G4Media. Four months later, he was appointed vice-chancellor of the institution where he teaches. He is also a member of the Register of Experts of CNATDCU, an institution that certifies university diplomas and titles.

In the academic year 2025/2026, Vîlciu teaches the discipline Ethics and academic integrity in three master's groups: Educational management and curriculum development, Didactic strategies for communication and effective learning and Doctrine, science, mission.

Contacted by G4Media, “Valahia” University officials from Târgoviște directed the request to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and Educational Sciences, where Vîlciu teaches.

The answer is signed by the dean of the faculty, priest-university professor Ștefan Florea, who, in the past, was Vîlciu's vice-dean in the management of the Faculty.

He admits that Vîlciu was sanctioned with a written warning by the CNECSDTI, but states that the motivation “rather emphasizes an insufficient rigor in observing the rules for editing and publishing the works in question, an aspect that led to the said sanction”.

“We believe that a person, even more so a teaching staff, cannot be defined by a single specific episode of the professional activity. The academic and moral identity of a teacher is built through the whole of his deeds, through the professional and human contributions he brings to the university community, these cannot be canceled by an isolated non-conformity. We also mention that the reported situation arose in the context of increasing the university teaching norm by two hours, a measure that generated, overall, an additional burden on the teaching staff, this solution being provisional, applicable for a short period of time”.

Member of the CNATDCU Expert Register

11 months after receiving a written warning for self-plagiarism, Marian Vîlciu was appointed, by Order of the Ministry of Education, among the five members of the Theology Commission from the Register of Experts of the National Commission for Attestation of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU) for the period 2024-2028, writes G4Media.

CNATDCU, through its specialized commissions, appeals to the members of this register to analyze the integrity and ethics of scientific works.

Journalists then requested a point of view from the Ministry of Education, which initially reported that Vîlciu applied to become a member of the CNATDCU's Theology Commission, but “following the completion of the evaluation procedure, held between 10 and 19.06.2024, the candidacy of Mr. Marian Vîlciu, for membership in the Theology Commission No. 32, was rejected, obtaining 3 NO votes and 2 YES votes.”

However, the Ministry specifies that “the nominal composition of the CNATDCU Expert Register, approved by Ministerial Order No. 7,235/2024, was made up of people who went through the selection procedure on the brainmap.ro platform, but who are not part of the CNATDCU specialized commissions, approved by Ministerial Order No. 5,908/2024, as is the case of Mr. Marian Vilciu.”